Many types of mounting assemblies have been developed to secure electronic devices to the dashboards, windshields, or other surfaces of vehicles. One such mounting assembly includes a base that may be secured to a vehicle surface and a cradle supported to the base via a permanent ball and socket joint. The ball and socket joint allows the cradle and its supported electronic device to be selectively positioned in any of a broad range of positions relative to the base, but does not permit the cradle to be easily removed from the base. Another type of mounting assembly includes a base and a cradle supported on the base via a separable ball and socket joint that permits the cradle and supported electronic device to be quickly and easily separated from the base.